Apparatus for cooling and annealing metal bars



Sept. 13, 1927. I 1,642,437 a. R. GEORGE APPARATUS FOR COOLING AND ANNEALING' METAL BARS' Filed Dec. 1, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l l'izvaraz'n- Jrome 7? G'eozge Sept. 13, 1927. 1,642,43

J. R. GEORGE APPARATUS FOR COOLING 'AND ANNEALING METAL BARS Filed Dec. 1. 1924" 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Innn ZEar: Jrome F? Gecpzye Patented Sept. 13,.1927.

; UNITED'ISTATES JEROME- n. GEORGE, or wonons'r'nn, MASSACHUSETTS, nssreivon 'ro MORGAN coN- PATENT OFFICE;

STRUCTION COMPANY, or woncns'rnn, mnss'ecnusn'rrs, A CORPORATION or MASSACHUSETTS.

nrrnnn'rns r03 G'QOLDIG AND nnnnfime ME'rAI Bans.

Application filed December 1,1924. Serial No. 753,241.

. links 5, 5, to a swinging member 6, which is The present invention relates to the han- I dling of hot metal bars as they emerge from a rolling mill, preparatory to the delivery of the same to shearing devices, or other mechanism, for operating on said bars; The invention applies particularly to the handling of rolled stock of flat cross section, such as used in the manufacture of springs, and contemplates among 'other things, the mechanical assemblage of such stock on edge, upon a cooling bed, in a continuous pack or pile, in order to secure selfannealing and slow cooling by the well known pack method. Other and further Fig. 2 is a planview of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1. y a 1 Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of one of the pusher bars'used in connection with the inelvement of the material across the cooling 8 I Like reference characters refer to, like parts in the different figures.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown:

I a series of conveyor rolls 1, 1', the sameconstituting, for example, the hot runout of a rolling mill, not. shown, which may be opl erated for the roduction of successive elongatedbars of at cross section, as indicated at 2. According to the invention, the bars I 2, 2, as run out successively on the rolls 1, .1, I -'are to be shifted broadside from said rolls I onto a downwardly inclined guide surface 3,7'for gravity movement, broadside, down saidincline. fAny suitable means may be 1 providedfor-moving the bars broadside of! j the rolls 1,, 1;as here shown, said rolls-1, 1, are skewed, and the efiect of; this is to bring .,-eachbar into edgewise contact, throughout edged 'pushers. 4, 4," alternating, with the "veral rollers-1, 1. During the runout usher-s4, A, are stationary'andioccupy the unison, I

vt-ggether' 'for movement inobjects of the invention will be apparent tslength with a series of alined. straight of t en v bar 2, '1 these I 'retracted position. shown. in full lines m Fig. 1. The several pushers areiconnected' I being prevented from tipping over by the fin ers here shownfor this purpose as attached by' oscillated at intervals .by its connection, through rod 7, to a crank disk 8. With each delivery'of a bar 2 from the mill into edgewise contact with the "retracted straight edges 4,4, the crank disk-8 is given one complete revolution, which serves to move the straight edges from the full to the dotted line positions shown in Fig. 1, and back again,this action pushing the bar '2 broadside ofi' of thefrolls l, 1, and returning the straight edges. to retracted I position, in

{)eadiness foraction on the next succeeding Each bar 2 thus moved broadside across the rolls 1, 1, is discharged by this movement onto the downwardly inclined guide surface 3, the bar sliding by gravity across -sa1d surface 3 and then dropping broadside off said surface until its advancing longitudinal' edge strikes the horizontal surface 9, firming part of a cooling bed 10 of any desired construction. .By this 'movement .each bar 2 arrives at the cooling bed surface 9 with its cross section in a; substantlally vertical position, the contact with said prevented from assuming a flat position by the lower edge of the inclined surface 3,

which prevents tipping in one direction, and by the presenceon the otherside of a series of fingers 11, which prevent tipping in the 1 other direction.

\Asfillustrated in Fig. 1, each finger 11 is in the form of a bell crank lever pivotally' mounted below the surface 9 on a pin 12, the lower portion of each lever being and consequently each finger serves efi'ectually, normally, as a stop to prevent the successive bars 2, 2, supported edgewise, from tipping oven-said fingers 11, however, be ngsubject, as hereina er described,

' toqdepressiombelow the surface'9, in order I permit the movement of a bar or a group o ars across the cooling bed, when desired.

Each bar thus delivered to the surface 9,

and supported edgewise thereon, is initially 11 and by the lower edge of inclined sur ace so surface 9 being edgewise, and the bar being 8, but when said bar is shifted broadside in the direction of arrow A, Fig. 1, across the cooling bed 10, it soon'moves beyond the influence of said restraining means, and consequently, in order to maintain the edgewise support that is essential to annealing and cooling by the pack method, the tendency of the material to tip over into a fiat position must be overcome in some other way. This is done by mechanically imparting a bend or curve to each bar, so that instead of having a straight line contact with the supporting surface, the contact is of curved or waved form, thereby greatly in creasing the stability of the edgewise supported bars. Moreover, according to the invention, this bending or curvature of the bars is effected by the selfsame pushing devices, which, as hereinafter described, procure the broadside movement of the bars across the cooling bed 10, as follows As herein shown, a series of pushers 14, 14, are disposed between the rollers 1, 1, their forward ends being supported on the surface 9, and their rear ends being provided with a series of notches 15, 15, Fig. 3, for the adjustable connection of said pushers to a common cross member 16. The latter is reciprocated from a crank disk 17 by means of a connecting rod 18, having a series of holes 19, 19, for selective connection to the crank pin 20 of disk 17, which crank pin also by means of holes 21, 21, in disk 17 may be adjusted. In this way, not only the lo cation of the stroke, but also the length of the stroke, of the series of pushers 14 may be varied;

The pushers 14, by means of their notches 15, are so arranged that their effective lengths difi'er; that is to say, their forward ends, resting on the surface 9, are at difierent distances from the opposing face of the bar 2 supported edgewise on said surface. Consequently, as the crank disk 17 rotates, the pusher bars 14, actuated thereby in unison, will not all engage with the bar 2 at the same time; for instance, the central pusher 14, here shown as having the longest effective length will engage the bar 2 first, and will move through a considerable distance, in contact with the center of the bar, before any of the other pushers actually enga e the bar.

Tn this way, the act of starting a bar on its travel across the cooling bed 10, by means of the ushers 14, 14, secures, simultaneously, the dedhction of said bar, by which its stable edgewise support, for the balance of said travel, is assured; this deflection, as shown in Fig. 2, is assisted by the action of such of the weighted fingers 11, as are remote from the longest pusher 14, since said fingers have suilicient resistance to prevent forward movement of adjacent portions of the bar untll such portions are engaged by the ease-av shorter pushers 14. Consequently, when the whole bar 2 is finally pushed entirely beyond the yielding fingers 11, so as to permit the latter to return to their normal upright positions, said bar has acquired a curved or waved form and is thereby rendered self-supporting, edgewise, on the cooling bed 10.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in the operation of the apparatus, pushers 14 are given a stroke sufficient in length to move each successive bar 2 substantially to a predeter mined location near the end of bed 10,-this location being determined by the number of bars 2 which it is desired to accumulate in a pack at said end, for annealing by the well known pack method. Each successive bar added to the pack displaces the preceding bar, the latter being pushed forward each time a distance corresponding to the thickness of the added bar, until the pack finally reaches its maximum size when the first bar comes to the edge 22 of the bed 10. Thereafter, each addition of a bar 2 to the rear side of the pack results in the discharge of a bar from the front side of the pack, said dischrrging bar tipping over the edge 22 and falling fiatwise on a suitable receiving means, here shown as a shuttle bar convey ing mechanism of the type disclosed in my United States Letters Patent No. 1,359,163, dated November 16, 1920. Said shuttle bar conveying mechanism consists essentially of pairs of movable supporting bars 23, 24, the ends of which, by means of suitable eccentrics 25, are given a circular motion, with the bars 23 180 in advance of the bars 24, so as to produce a step-by-step movement for the material deposited thereon. Said conveying mechanism operates to deposit a plurality of bars 2 upon suitable conveyor rolls 26, 26, by which said bars 2 may be conveyed longitudinally to suitable mechanism, not shown, for shearing them in multiple into commercial lengths.

As will be apparent, the thickness of the pack of bars 2 on the cooling bed 10 may be varied by adjusting the stroke of the pushers 14, 14,--this being accomplished by changing the position of the crank pin 20 in the holes 21 of crank disk 17. A variation in the thickness of the pack produces a variation in the time that each bar remains in the pack, and this is of great importance in annealing by the pack method. Further control of this time element is afforded by changing the effective length of connecting rod 18, thereby changing the location reached by the ends of pushers 14, 14 on their forward stroke, and thus increasing or decreasing the thickness of the pack of bars, as the case may be; this also aiiords opportunity for varying the time during which each bar 2 remains in the pack. The same result is obtainable by increasing or decreasing the eifective lengths of the pushers 14 themselves, by of said bar while on said bed by lateral means of the notches 15 which engage with the cross member 16; in addition, these notches permit the requisite variation in length between adjacent pus'hers 14 which produces the above described bending or t curving of the bars 2 on thecooling bed to render them self-supporting edgewise, it ,being apparent that any desired degree ofv curvature or wave-formation is obtainable through the adjustment afl'orded by these notches.

I claim: 1.- In apparatus of the class described, ahorizontal bed, means for delivering bars on edge to said bed, means for moving said bars broadside across said bed, means for curving said bars as they are moved across the bed, and means for controlling the number of bars on the'bed at one time. 7 2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with-a support, of means for efl'ecting the edgewise delivery to said support of successive bars which are normally incapable of standing edgewise, and

means fordistorting each bar while on said support to increase'its stabilit on edge.

3. In apparatus of, the c ass described, the combination with a support, of means. for effecting the edgewise delivery to said, support of a bar wh ch is normally incapable of standing on edge, and means for i increasing the edgewise stability of said bar while on-said support .by' deflection thereof.

4. In apparatus of the class described, the combinat on ,with a support, of means for efiecting the edgewise delivery to said support of a bar which is normally incapable of standing on edge, and means for-impartmg a curved form to said bar while on said i support, by broadside movement of said bar,

thereby to render it self-supporting on edge." 5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with means for moving 'a bar longitudinally, of a support, means for effectmg the broadside delivery of said bar on edge to said support, and means for moving said bar broadside on said support and atthe same time giving it a wave-like form.

6. In apparatus of the class described, means for conveying a bar flatwise, means 1 for delivering said bar boardside from said conveying means thereby to support it on edge, and means or giving a wave-like form to said bar while on edge.

' 7. In apparatus. of he class described, ahorizontal bed, means for effecting the broadside delivery of a bar on edge to said bed,

and means for giving a Wave-like form to said bar while on edge. I

. 8. In apparatus of the class described, a horizontal bed, means for efi'ecting the edge-. wise delivery to saidbed of a bar which is normall incapablelof standing on edge, and,

means or increasing the edgewise stability deflection thereof. 1

9. In apparatus of the class described, a horizontal bed, means for eflecting the .edgewise delivery to said bed of a bar that is normally incapable of standing on edge, and

means for moving said bar broadside across said bed, said movement serving to deflect said bar to increase its stability while on edge.

10. In apparatus of the class described, a horizontal bed, means forsuccessively effecting the broadside delivery of bars on edge to said bed, and means formoving said bars bars that are normally incapable of standing on edge, means for moving said bars broad side across said bed,- and means for increas--v ing the stability of each of said bars while on edge by lateral deflection thereof in ad- Vance of its movement across the bed;

12. In apparatus of theclass described, .l means for imparting lateral deflection to successively delivered bars normally incapable of standing on edge,yto increase their stability'on edge and'means for moving a plurality of said bars, in

nested ,relatlon, while supported on ed e.

- 13. In apparatus 0 the class described, I

means for imparting lateral deflection to successively delivered bars normally incapamov ble of standing on edge, to increase their apparatus of the class described,

.ieonveying. means for-moving metal bars l longitudinally, a horizontal cooling bed for receiving said bars on edge from said con-' ing said bars and. movingthemlaterally across said cooling bed to a predetermined veying means, adjustable pushers for curvposition against a pack of preceding bars, I which pack is thereby moved" a distance equal tothe thickness ofone' of said bars, said movement serving to separate the coldest bar from the front of said pack as each fresh bar'is added to the rear of said pack.

15. In apparatus of the class described, a horizontal coolin' bed to whichthe bars are delivered on e ge, means. fori'moving successivel delivered bars broadside on edge across sai bed, to forma pack, and conveying means onto which the first bar of said pack tipsflatwise by. avity as each fresh bar is added to'the ot or side of said pack.

16. 1 horizontal coolingbedfl to. which bars are In apparatus of the classdescribed, a

successively delivered on edge, Pushers for moving said bars broadside on edge across said bed, to form a pack, and means for adjusting the stroke of said ushers, to vary the duration of each bar in said pack, prior to its discharge by gravity from the front of said pack.

17. In apparatus of the class described, a

horizontal cooling bed to which bars are 10 successively delivered on edge, Pushers for mama? moving said bars broadside on edge across said bed, to form a pack, and means for adjustin said pushers to vary the thickness of sai pack, whereby to vary the time that each bar remains in said pack, prior to its disciarge by gravity from the front of said pac Dated this twenty-first day of November,

JEROME R. GEORGE. 

